F23 block + F22b dohc head: A simple engine build

[Mishakol129]

Well I'm back again, and I have some news about my earlier rebuild that I did (its in the link below). Turns out I installed the piston rings in the wrong order, the 2nd compression ring is on the top instead of on the bottom for all 4 pistons. Honest mistake but now I'm burning quite a bit of oil.

My plans are to junk that bottom end (part it out) and to start with a JDM low mileage F23. So basically I ordered that and will be putting a F22b dohc head on it. I already put the head on my F22a block 3 weeks ago.

I don't plan on anything too serious just some basic bolt on's. Here is a list of things:

-Delta 260 cams (H23)
-Kaizenspeed BS Eliminator kit
-I/E/H with a 2.25" enlarged downpipe (its 2" right now)
-Double stacked IAB's with the butterflies removed
-P39 F22b dohc ecu
-Possible a port and polish job, but I am afraid of messing it up.


Should make about 155-160 whp with this setup. Nothing too serious again as I can't tune yet, plus I am on a budget. Its just a little extra on top of the JDM F23 block. Doing it for the oil burning issue, but I also want to expand the powerplant that the F23 already is.



Pics of the engine and the block:

Looks very good, 210 psi engine.




Stripped down, parts are for sale.





Let me know what you think, if this will work or not. I'm pretty set on what I'm doing here and believe that the results will be good. I just don't know what underdrive pulley I should be using, the F22a or the F23a? Pretty sure the F23 but not sure I thought the belts where different for that. I'm gonna use F22a belts.





Here is the engine as it stands now... Shield your eyes from the blue engine bay paint, you may find it horrendeous... Doesn't bother me though, lol:




You can tell by the pistons and walls that something is wrong. Scorring and an unusual amount of carbon (oil) on the pistons. This was right after I put the DOHC head on, about a month ago. Its got 170 compression but it burns 1 quart every 300 miles.

[Mishakol129]

Got the Kaizenspeed elimination kit today and got to installing most of it. Was harder than I though removing the dowels but I figured it out.
Definitely a learning experience installing this kit, had me confused for a while.
Had to hammer in the plugs onto the oil pump and ended up missing the plug and hitting the pump itself. The plate should cover it so there are no worries about it its just if I ever wanted to sell that pump it won't be in perfect condition.

Hammering in the dowels on the girdle will be fun though. In the kit you get 4 dowels, 3 small ones and one larger one. For the F23 engine, the larger dowel is half the size if the other engines, sits flush with the girdle and goes into the actual main cap itself. It doesn't go in the girdle like in the video. Kaizenspeed wasn't very clear on that but I figured it out just from common sense.

Check out their install video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKx9B8PSriU

[Jarrett]

This has the potential to be a nice, streetable build. I have all the components to do my own one day except I ended up using the F23A1 crankshaft and rods in my F20B. One day I'll get another one and do it.

If you begin to ask for advice from people this go-around, please take it if the advice is sound.

And knowing your history with nearly everything you do, do not port and polish the cylinder head on this thing. You will regret it. You'll find every reason to justify it to yourself, argue with those who say you shouldn't, you'll do it anyway, and then you'll regret it. Please, just go for a basic build on this one. Once you've gotten some success under your belt, then expand out to new things.

[Mishakol129]

Oh yeah I'm not trying to do anything too spectacular, just more than what I've done before. The idea of the port job was just a thought I had.

I still have a few questions about this. Like for instance what belts do I use if I'm using the F23 crank pulley, the F22a belts? I will be using my original accessories and brackets.

So far what I know I have to use from my old engine to make this work:

- F22a oil control orifice
- F22a timing side engine bracket
- F22a Water pipe
- F22a (B Dohc) timing belt, water pump, cylinder head
- F22a Accessory brackets and accessories
- F22a accessory belts (is this right?)

From the F23a

- Crankshaft pulley (?)
- Lower timing cover(?)
- Head gasket



Does this sound about right or am I missing something?

[Mishakol129]

Have the balance shaft elimination kit %90 installed. All I have to do is tap the oil port and seal it with a plug with red loc tite.




This was fun:




All of the dowels but one. The only one not installed is the threaded one:

[Mishakol129]

Just got the Delta 260 cams in the mail today. I think i'm gonna put them in my current engine just to test them out.


Here they are:











I have no idea what to expect from these. Well I do based on reads about them but reading is nothing compared to actual application. I wanna change my timing belt setup when I do the cam change as well. Gonna put the F22b water pump on with the F22B dohc belt (88 caravan). This is because I think my current setup (F22a water pump with H23 belt) is throwing off timing a little. Car runs funny at low RPM, feels like its not getting good compression until past the 3500 mark.

[Mishakol129]

Here's the 2.25" collector mod I'm doing. Ebay headers brand new. Took me a while to hammer it so it fit like this:







Fits good.

[Mishakol129]

Those f22b dohc 260 cams don't run the car right. I'm sure its not my timing that's doing it, its the cams. I have to get a tune. Much easier said than done. I think I might just retain the stock cams, the H23/F22b dohc head is sensitive when it comes to lumpy cams it seems, after seeing a few threads on here saying that the springs had coil bind with the Delta cams and how the 272 cams will actually cause the retainers to 'smash' the stem seals.

Delta cams may run in stock F22a sohc heads, but dohc's are a different story.

[Mishakol129]

Did the 2.25" mod to the collector, car is running better than it ever has. I just want to say something about the KS elimination kit install. Those dowel pins in the main girdle can be a pain in the ass to remove. When I did them, I thought I ruined my girdle because I scratched it up pretty good. Turns out the scratches were where the main bearing bolts go, not at the oil passages themselves.
I was actually gonna come on here and ask if I messed it up until I remembered that the scratches were in that area not where the oil passages were. That was why I decided to bolt the mains down again in the first place.

[EsperHamid]

nice work man, I am sure this pretty engine doesn't want to be in a blue bay, when I looked at it (bay) I thought it was an antique machine.

[Mishakol129]

nice work man, I am sure this pretty engine doesn't want to be in a blue bay, when I looked at it (bay) I thought it was an antique machine.

What is done (and seen), cannot be undone (or unseen).

[EsperHamid]

I guess so maybe you'll change your mind later on, but I am eager to know stats of the beast you are building when you take take it for a spin. what are you expecting Misha ?

[Mishakol129]

I guess so maybe you'll change your mind later on, but I am eager to know stats of the beast you are building when you take take it for a spin. what are you expecting Misha ?

I'm expecting some really good drive-ability and low end power. Probably around 150 whp 160 wtq. But I want to fix my car first and foremost. Its got issues. The hood won't shut, the car burns blue smoke on start ups, and it vibrates too much (from the ESP mounts). Gonna put a stock rear mount in for that. Also the car is loud, it needs to be painted, needs new rotors etc. That's not even talking about the engine... btw I think I want to make a "my ride" thread to get some pointers on fixing the chassis/appearance. As of now my car looks like at rat mobile, lol.

Anyhow, its about time that I can finally get to working on this engine project. We have another car on the road and so I can take mine off the road now.
I'll keep you updated on how its going, maybe even post some pics (pics are always nice).


btw i'm selling my f22b dohc ecu and getting a h23 ecu. All I got to do is wire in the knock sensor. I'm sure it will work if I use the OBD II wiring plug for the 98-02 Accord along with its knock sensor, but I am not %100 sure. It is 1 wire though so that's why I think it won't make a difference. The H23 knock sensor is different from the F23 one and has different plugs. Will the F23 knock sensor work with the H23 ECU?

[Jarrett]

It won't matter. A knock sensor is about as simple of a sensor as you can get. there's really not much to it at all.

[Mishakol129]

It won't matter. A knock sensor is about as simple of a sensor as you can get. there's really not much to it at all.

Alright, thanks for the quick answer. Genuine help like this is what makes the world a better place